Lubricating apparatus



July 27,1926.

, C. G. BUTLER LUBRICA'IING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 19. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet1 mw om ww G ww Nw INI/ENTOR n@ @u WWQ mm, Vm.

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A TTORNE Y `Iuly 27 1926.

1,593,791 c. G. BUTLER LUBRICATING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 19, 1923 l2Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR ATTORNEY Patented July 27, 1926.

cLynn e. Burma,

LUBRICATING APPARATS.

OF DAYTON, OHIO.

Application led February 19, 1923. Serial No. 619,909.

My invention relates to lubricating apparatus and inparticular to aforce feed lubrication for bearings and the like in automotive equipmentand similar mechanism,

5 and also relates to a method of lubrication.

It is my object to provide a means of forcing under high pressure fluidand semi-Huid lubricating compounds 'into bearings and into bearingreservoirs in order that foreign l" material and used lubricant thereinmay be forced out of the bearing or out of the bearing reservoir. It ismy object to provide a cooperating bearing and. self sealing bearinglubricating valve. It is a further object to prol slide in combinationwith the self-sealing bearing valve a bearing reservoir for lubricantand means for automatically feeding the lubricant therefrom to thebearing.

It is a further object of my invention of 2" providing automatic andsemi-automatic means of connection between the bearing valve and thelubricating pressure means or grease gun so-called.

It is a further object to provide either a iex- 25 ible connectionbetween the bearing valve and the grease gun or a. rigid' connection,both of said connections being susceptible of being positioned in andesired place relative to one another in or er to accommodate for thelocation in restricted areas of the bearing and bearing valves.

It is a further object of Vmy invention to provide a self-refillinggrease n which is adapted to draw the grease or ot er lubricant into itwithout the necessity of using a paddle or other means of drawing thegrease into the gun or placing it in the gun.

It is a further object to provide such a Igun so constructed that itwill draw the grease -through the restricted aperture through whichit'passes when being forced into the bearin It is an additional objectto provide a selfsealing Gun in order that the joint between the head ofthe gun and the barrel thereof will be automaticallyself-sealing, thejoint becoming tighter the greater the pressure.

It is an additional object to provide a selfsealing iston. Itis anadditional object to'provige a piston head that will not rock upon thepiston and will not strip therefrom under the pressure. 1

It is an additional object to provide a grease gun which will have thepiston adapt- 5 ed to be advanced slowly but which may vbricating valveabroad bearing forl the flexible coupling, the chuck, and the bearvtothe bearing valve;

be retracted quickly for recharging or other purposes.

It is a further object of my invention to provide automatic andsemi-automatic connections between the grease gun and the bearing valvewhich may or may not be locked in position as desired by the operator ior may be automatically locked.v i

It `is a further object toprovide in the luvalve member as distinguishedfrom a bearing consisting of merely a single point of Contact as in thecase of a ball. It is a further object to provide'a valve member whichwill seat itself automatically. It is a further object to provide avalve member which may be readily located in its seat by the yieldingmeans and will not be upset.

It is a further object to provide a valve member which will readilyallow the lubricant to pass thereby but will be of such design that anyaccumulation of foreign material will not preventit from seating or willnot disturb it with relation to the resilient means which supports it toseat it.

Referring to the drawings: Fig` l isa section through the grease gunwith the piston and handle in full lines;

Fig. 2 is a section through a portion of the as ing valve showing asemi-automatic chuck;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a modified form of the chuck;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing an elongated typefofspring fingerchuck;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. l, looking in the directionvof the arrow, viewing one end of the piston head;

Fig. 6 is a detail of the bearing valve, partially in section; 95

Fig. 7 is a section on the line-7-7 of Fig. l, looking in the directionof the arrows, showing. a plan view of the self-sealingv end of thegrease gun;

Fig. 8 is an elevation with the. joint 100. partially in section of therigid connection l between the grease gun and bearing valve; l

Fig. v9 is a section of a modified construc. tion of chuck forconnecting the grease gun Fig. 10 is a view partly in section ofvabearing and shackle links showing the bear'` ing valve installed, thebearingv reservoirl and the automatic means for self-feed off' lubricantfrom the reservoir-to the bearing. 119 I Referring tothe drawings indetail, 1 is a handle mountedi on a piston 2 having threads 3 thereonconstituting a worm. This worm travels in an internally threaded guideor nut 4 that is externally threaded at 5. 4 is therefore threaded intoan internally threaded collar 6 permanently held in the head 7 of thegrease gun. This head is threaded at 8 upon the barrel 9 of the gunproper. Within the barrel 9 travels the-rod 2 on one end of which isthreaded acollar 10 having a shoulder 11. This collar is seated upon therod 2 as at 12. Itwill be observed that at 12 there is a shoulder cutinto two, to prevent the pressure pushing 11 and 10 back along the rod2- and preventing 10 and 11'from rocking or upsetting. 11 is firmlyengaged against the shoulder 12 by reason of the nut 13 which iscastellated at 14 and held in position by a small cotter pin 15.following, a spring washer having a lurality of bent up spaced teeth,the was er be` ing designated 16 and the teeth 17, a plain washer18,7and a pair of diverging leather washers 19 having diver 'ng sealingortions 20. The sprlng was ers 16* with t eir spring teeth 17 serve tolkeep the leather washers 19 in engagement with the walls of the cylinder9, t us sealing the grease un.

The severval washers and leather mem ers are embraced between 11 and 13and maintained rigidly at right angles to the lateral movement of thewhole piston head thus formed as it moves laterally. A

By maintaining such a seal and by the use of the worm, I am enabled tosecure pressure up to 1500 pounds within this gun.

One of the diiculties inherent in former l grease guns has been theleaking around the head of the gun and the diiiiculty of properlysealing this head.

In the case of my invention it is unnecessary to remove thisI head andbecause of the 'very tight seal secured by the piston head justdescribed, I am enabled to draw in the lubricant into the cylinder inarea B, yet

if it is desired to remove this head in my' construction it can be doneand restored without destroying the seal.

The head consists of an outside internally Ithreaded collar 21 in whichthere is centrally located permanently a collar 22 having Between 11 and13 are located the' under pressure in area B that it will force down theshoulder 27 upon the 'washer 28 against 21 and will also force ouwardly29 against the wall of the cylinder 9. The reater the pressure the moreperfect will te the seal in this head thus preventing the 25, 24, intoB, thus automatically filling t e grease gun without the necessity oftaking off the ead and forcing the grease in by a paddle' or other meanswhich is customary 'in the present state of the art.

Proceeding to the description of the apparatus employed in connectionwith the practice of the rest of my method, the coupling 25 has mountedon the outer end thereof a head 31. The outer end of this head hasinternally threaded therein a col- `lar 3,2 having a turned-in portion33 with an aperture 34 through which projects the valve member 35 inwhich is located a valve 36 maintained in position against the seat' byaspring 37, the axle of which will be hereinafter described. This member35 is composed generally of two parts, a conical head proper 38 and arestricted portion or throat 39.` A plurality of segments 40 slightlyspaced from `one another are adapted to slip over the head 38 andembrace the slot 39. The shoulder 41 on 38 prevents the retraction ofthese se ents 40 due to the fact that they are hel in position on thethroat b .the spring fingers 42, a plurality of whic are mounted upon abase 43 which forms a part of a piston head that consists of 43, ametallic washer 44 embracing between it and 43 a leather sealing washer45. This union ofthe parts 45, 44

and 43 is effected by 43 having a tubular member 46 projecting throu h45 and v44 and bent over at 47 upon 44. l passage way 48 is left through.46,for the passa e of lubricant. The lubricant comes throug the tubularmember 25 through the passage way 49 into the expanded area 50 within31. The area 50 will fill up with lubricant because the delivery oflubricant to 50 will be at a greater rate than the lubricant can passthrough 48. This will result in 44, 45 and 43, together with the fingers42, being forced forwardly, maintaining the segments 40 in closeengagement with 39. The washer 51 provides a ready means of adjustingthe junction of 38 with the remainder of the mechanism and effectivelyseals the connection so that the lubricant will passthrough nectingmember upon which is mounted a 48 into 52,-after having pushedI bach"-the rivet. or stud 36. This rivet or s'tudfis held in position by thesprin 37 ieldingly and cannot upset due to the act t at its shaft 53projects into the coil of the spring 37.

It will be understood that 35 is threaded into the bearing as shown inFig. 10 at 54. The a erture 55 permits the movement of the lu ricantintothe reservoir 56 in the shackle bolt or to any other suitablereservoir for lubricating the bearing. The spring member is shownf'at`57riding upon thebolt 54.

Returning to Fig. 2 and its operation, it

will be understood that the coupling on the` end of 25 is thus pushedover 35, the segments 40 engage with the throat and are' maintained inengagement by the pressure segments 40 will slip over t-he shoulders 41dus to the pressure -of 33 against the ends of the several segments 40..Y v It will be seen that lthis coupling eliminates the necessity. for adelicate adjustment by the operator of the couplin to the valve memberwhich is often times iicult in restricted areas frequently found onautomotive vehicles where this type of equipment is especially useful.

Referring to Fig. 3, 25 is the usual conhead 58. This head 58 has apassage way for the lubricant at 59 and is externally threaded at 60. Acollar 61 is adapted to be threaded on 58 to engage with the threads 60.This collar has a cup-shaped outer end at.62 adapted to lit the conicalhead of 35 designated 38. 61 is cut away at its outer end to form acylindrical member of smaller diameter than the rest of the body whichis designated 63. On the exterior of this cylindrical member there aremounted a lurality of segments 40 and surrounding t ese segments,adapted to draw inner ends there-` of towards 63, is a helical spring 64thus constantly tending to keep the jaws formed by the segments 40 openfor the reception of 39. The segments 40 are so designed that at theirinner ends they are tapered and at their outer ends they are bent overin the frn of ngers to engage the shoulder 41 o 3 61 carries a pluralityof coarse threads 65 adapted to engage similar threads 66 on theinterior of a collar 67. This collar carries-a pin 68 traveling in acutaway ortion 69 in 61 to revent 67 from being .lhacked completely o of61. The outer end ofv67 by a plurality of heads 76 to engage with theshoulder 41 fresh, clean is restricted into a shape as at 70 sothat,"the"inner surface of this restricted-end willengage with asimilartapered surfacev ofthe members 40 adapted to force the outer of ends ofilto engage with the shoulders 41 of 38 and thus lock this coupling tothe valve member. Adjustments 1n size wear and position are provided forby the yielding washer71 between 38 and j 'Referring-to Fig. 4, 'therewill be seen av -modiication of this same principle of semiautomaticengagement of the coupling with the'valve member. The fin ers -72 areslightly separated from one anot er, have turned in ends -73V to engagewith v'41 of 38, and

l are adapted when not .under compression to spring outwardly. Thecollar 67 is adapted to ,compress these spring fingers just as in Fig.3. 'The -head 58 is of somewhat similar construction. 67 is adapted tobe threaded on 458. The parts are shown in somewhat di'erent proportionsin order to accommodate situations wheres` remote valve membernecessitates a long,narrow coupling.

Referring to Fig. 9', the head'58 in Fig. 9 is provided with a chamber74 in the head thereof in which is located the usual washer 71 for theaccommodation for the size or the parts and their wear., The valvemember is retained in enlgagement with the head oose fingers 75 havingand retaining ends or lugs 77 engaging in a groove 78 in 5 8. Eachfinger 75 travels in its respective slot 79 in 58. By threading themembers 67 forward on 58 these outer ends of the fingers 76 are drawntogether and thereby engage 38 by. enga ement with the shoulder 41thereof. g

Referring to Fig. 10, when' the lubricant has been forced through 35.into 56 under great pressure it forces back the piston 80 against thespring 81 until 56 is completely lled. When the pressure is withdrawn 36seals the reservoir and the lubricant therein is then subjected topressure of the piston 80 with the spring behind it. 82 1s the usualwasher. The lubricant is therefore constantly under pressure andconstantly being forced outwardly so that it passes out through atypical exit opening 83 into a lubricating channel 84 to lubricate theengagement of the bolt 54 and the remainder of the mechanism 57 thusconstantly forcin ease into enga ement wit the parts am? forcing outwarly the used lubricant or lubricant which may have be'- come contaminatedby foreign material gettin into it. v

Fig. 8, I have shown my rigid form' of 'ras coupling between thelubricant pressure ap? ing apparatus having a chamber 9 with the head 21to which is attached a tubular member 85y at an angle thereto. Thistubular member has a. passage therein designated 86. At the end of 85 isa plate '87. Surrounding 85 and beneath 86 is a collar 88 having ashoulder 89 and internally threaded at 90 to engage with a threaded head91 of a second tubular member 92- attached at an angle to the chuck 58or any similar attaching member between the source of supply and theYpart to be lubricated. A washer 93 is interposed between 87 and 91 toseal the parts.

It will be seen from this arrangement that by loosening the collar thetubular members can be adjusted with respect to one vanother at varyingangles so as to bring 58 and 9 parallel to one another or at varyingangles to one another according to the position in which it is necessaryto place the several parts in order to effect their lubrication from thesource of supply to the part to be lubricated. This eliminates theflexible Vhose 25 where it is found inadvisable to emtion, what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a nipple for receiving lubricant, of a lubricantcompressor having a coupling for connecting said com- Vof the nipple,and means carried by the cylinder for compressively engaging about thenipple for locking said parts together agalnst longitudinal displacementand actuated by said piston whereby the pressure of the' lubricant onsaid piston will move the piston to forcibly compress said means, whilethe lubricant is passlng through said connecting parts. v l

2. The combination with a headed nipple for receiving lubricant.I of alubricant cornpressor having a coupling member for connecting saidcompressor and nip le comprisin a cylinder, a piston nmovab e within thecy inder, and having an aperture for the discharge of lubricant thereof,an apertured sealing-seat carried` by said piston for engagementwith theend"of the nipple, connecting the piston apertuney with a through thenipple, radially movab e locklng e ing with the nipple and actuated bysaid piston for compressively clutching the elements upon the nipplewhereby the ressure of the lubricant on said piston wil move the pistonto forcibly compress said elements while the lubricant is passingthrough said connecting parts.

In testimony whereof, I aiiixA my signa-- ture.

CLYDE e. BUTLER.

assage ements carried by the cylinder coact-`

